Producer Malek Akkad Talks ‘Halloween Returns’

Halloween franchise producer Malek Akkad talked this week about the upcoming film Halloween Returns, indicating that there have been studio troubles recently that have kept production on the highly anticipated movie delayed so far.

Akkad tells Daily Dead, “I have to say, and this is somewhat new news—but unfortunately things happen in Hollywood where you have issues with studios and different variables—we’ve had to take a step back and now we’re trying to refigure this beast that is the new Halloween. So there is a bit of a delay with this sequel now.

“But I do think it is a good thing for the franchise. It’s only going to be resulting in a better film, which I hope the fans appreciate. But this new Halloween isn’t going to be quite what has been announced and what people are expecting, so we’re making some changes there as well.”

On working with writer/director Marcus Dunstan and writer Patrick Melton on the new film, Akkad says, “We had been working with a bunch of writers where we got close, but then we brought in Marcus and Patrick and worked closely with them. We found that we all were very much on the same level of what we wanted to do, in spite of the fact that the studio wasn’t necessarily in agreement. I just felt like I really had partners who would also fight the good fight and fight for the ideas, and fight for the things that we wanted to make sure we got right. And I just think they’re fantastic and super-talented.”